Baked dough products are among the most popular foods in the western world and have been increasingly popular in Asia. The ability to manipulate the quality and shape of baked dough products is a major challenge and an extremely important task to the food industry.
To bake a dough product, the development stage first kneads and shapes the dough until it reaches a desired raw specific volume. Shaping the dough to a pre-determined geometry and weight, and placing the dough within a baking pan or mold comes next. Then, baking at a constant temperature (350° F.-380° F.) for a period of time until the exterior surface of the dough reaches a golden brown color accompanied by formation of a crust finishes the process.
Muffins are distinguished from other baked products such as cakes, cookies, and the like by their geometry which typically includes one outer region having a semi-spherical shape. Muffins are characterized by a brief baking time, a leavening affected by baking powder, and a cellular texture. Another important feature of muffins, particularly cherished by many consumers, is having a tasty crust formed, typically, on the top surface.
Traditional baking pans or molds, whether made from metal or another material, define and limit the shape of a muffin. Due to the difference in the heat transfer rate between the bottom portion of the dough because of its contact with the baking pan, and the rest of the dough, the bottom layer of the baked product is normally overheated so that the color is darker than the desired golden brown. A crust, considered by many to be the most tasteful and delicious part of the muffin, is typically formed only at one area thereof which is directly exposed to the outside heat during the baking process. Obviously, it is very desirable to produce or bake a muffin having crust formed on other major surfaces of such a product. However, the ability to manipulate a muffin or similar baked dough products so as to extend the area of crust formation to multiple surfaces thereof has not been disclosed by prior art.
Thus, it has been a long-felt and unsolved need to provide a method and apparatus for creation of a baked product in general having first and second outer opposing regions and an intermediate region formed therebetween, wherein a crust is formed at the opposing exterior regions of the baked product. More specifically, there has been a need for a method and apparatus to facilitate baking of a muffin or other baked products having a crust formation developed at least at two opposing exterior surfaces thereof.